SEOUL, July 06 (AJP) -Kids or not, South Koreans are learning that mockery of historic tragedies comes with serious accountability, as Seoul-based Paichai High School's baseball team traveled to Gwangju on Monday to offer a formal apology to players of Gwangju Jeil High School and local residents and seek their forgiveness for taunting chants mocking the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.
The apology came one week after Paichai players shouted "Let's go to Starbucks!" and "Tank Day!" toward the opposing dugout during a first-round game at the 81st Cheongryonggi National High School Baseball Championship in Seoul. The chants referenced a recent "Tank Day" marketing controversy involving Starbucks Korea that was widely criticized for trivializing the 1980 pro-democracy uprising.
All 36 Paichai baseball players, along with their parents, teachers and school officials, arrived at Gwangju Jeil High School to apologize in person. The visitors numbered around 80, according to the school.
"We caused the players of Gwangju Jeil High School tremendous emotional pain and suffering," the team captain said while reading a statement. "As fellow athletes, it was something we should never have done, and something that should never have happened. We caused many people deep pain."
The captain also apologized to the opposing players, their parents and Gwangju citizens, saying the team had reflected deeply on its conduct.
"All of us, including myself, sincerely regret what happened," he said. "This incident has taught us once again that character and attitude are more important than baseball itself. We will continue to live with sincere remorse."
The team's head coach separately accepted responsibility for failing to prevent the incident.
"I acknowledge that our players' chants disparaging a region are inexcusable," he said. "As the person responsible for guiding and educating these students, I bear the greatest responsibility and sincerely apologize."
The coach said he had been too focused on the outcome of the game to immediately recognize and stop the offensive chants.
"I forgot that there are things more important than winning," he said. "I feel deeply ashamed that my words, actions and leadership failed to set the right example. I will fulfill my responsibility as a coach to ensure that something like this never happens again."
Faculty members also issued a separate statement, saying the school did not view the incident as an isolated act of youthful misconduct.
"Paichai High School regards this incident not as a simple mistake or deviation by students but as a case stemming from a broader collapse in ethical awareness and historical understanding," the statement said.
The faculty said using chants that mocked the May 18 Democratization Movement to insult Gwangju Jeil High School demonstrated that members of the school community had failed to sufficiently share an understanding of the ethical and historical significance of the issue.
The school pledged to strengthen ethics and history education, cooperate fully with ongoing investigations and disciplinary procedures, and work to build a school culture based on respect rather than ridicule.
"Democracy begins with respecting one another," the statement said. "We will strive to become an educational community that values consideration over mockery and solidarity over hatred."
Following the visit to Gwangju Jeil High School, the Paichai delegation was scheduled to pay tribute at the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery to honor those killed during the 1980 pro-democracy movement.
The controversy erupted during the June 29 tournament game in Seoul, when some Paichai players repeatedly shouted "Let's go to Starbucks!" and "Tank Day!" toward the Gwangju Jeil dugout. The chants were widely interpreted as mocking the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement and prompted strong condemnation from educators, civic groups and baseball officials.
The Korea Baseball Softball Association has already suspended Paichai High's baseball team for six months from national competition and is conducting separate disciplinary proceedings against individual players and coaches.
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